THE REEF

Ahoy Mateys,


I have just returned from a 3-day live-aboard on the Great Barrier Reef, and it was so beautiful. Prior to setting of I took a two-day pool course where I learned a lot of theory then got into the water to master the basics. This was a great experience in itself, I really enjoyed learning about the dangers involved and how to properly prepare for and avoid them. In the pool I practiced with two Swedes, 2 Spaniards, a German, and a Kiwi from New Zealand. Nick, our instructor did a great job making everyone know their stuff and feel comfortable in the underwater environment. And when it came time for the final exam everyone in the class passes, I myself got a perfect score! After that it was off to the boat…

The first of my 10 dives we all just had some fun swimming around 10 meters and getting acquainted with the Reef and the new depth. After that we had two more dives that day where we practices some important skills along with doing some fun explorations. The Reef was so beautiful! That day the sun was shining, and since we weren’t so deep the colors were all really bright. That night we stayed on an incredible 33-meter, 4 story diving boat. The accommodations were great and the food was an all-you-can eat buffet of delicious food. The next day we took our last training dive and earned our open water certification. Later that day we also did two adventure dives that count towards are Advanced Certification; Peak Performance Buoyancy and a Night Dive. During the night dive we saw heaps of Reef and White Tipped sharks, which we spotted by the reflection of their green eyes from our torches. The next morning we did our 30 meter Adventure Dive where we saw a giant lobster, Great Barracuda, and a couple of the venomous Lion Fish. Our Instructor also showed us the Cleaner Shrimp, and as he held perfectly still with his mouth held open the shrimp actually went into his mouth and went to work. That day we did two more dives then headed back to port in Cairns. All in all it was a great experience and a hobby that I want to continue to pursue. We have already booked some volunteer work on the day boats where we would get to dive and eat for free. Soon we are heading down to Townsville and may do a dive at the Yongala wreck.

Let you know how it goes,


John